Open-faced watch-case



(Model.)

B. G. FITCH.

OPEN FAOED WATCH GASB.

Patented Aug. 26', 1884.

Nv PETERS, Hmlvljlhngnphar. Wanhlllglon. no.

UNITED STATES 1 Arena @rricn.

EZRA C. FITCH, OF NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

OPEN-FACE'D WATCH-CASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 304,264, dated August 26, 1884.

Application filed September 14, 1853. (ModelJ To all whom it may concern-.-

Be it known that I, EZRA O. FITCH, of Newton, in the county of MiddleseX and State of Massachusetts,have invented certain Improvements in OpeirFace WVatch-Cases, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to cases for openrface pendant winding and setting watches, and has for its object to provide a case of this class in which, without opening the bezel, access can be had to the shifting-lever that moves the pivoted yoke within the movement from its winding to its hand-setting position.

To this end the invention consists in an openface watch-case composed of a movement-holding ring or band provided with a glass-holding bezel, and a case-center adapted to receive and hold said ring, and provided with a detachable back screwed or equivalently secured to the case-center, and with a movable marginal cover or false bezel adapted, when closed, to fit closely against the bezel proper, and to cover the shifting-lever of the winding and setting mechanism.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a side view of my improved case. Fig. 2 represents a section on line mm, Fig. 1.

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.

In the drawings, a represents the case center or body, provided at one edge with an internally-threaded portion, 2, and an externally-threaded portion or shoulder, 3, and at the opposite edge with a seat, 4. L,

1) represents a ring adapted to contain and support a watch-movement, and provided at one edge with an externally-threaded portion,

- 5, adapted to be screwed into the portion 2 of the case-center, and at its opposite edge with a shoulder, 6, adapted to rest on the seat 4. The ring I) has a shoulder, 7, adapted to hold a removable bezel or cover, j, which is pref erably formed to snap onto the shoulder 7, although, if'preferred, said shoulder and bezel may be threaded, so that the bezel may be screwed onto the shoulder.

(Z represents the back of the case, which is detachablethat is to say, not hinged or j ointed to the case-center-and is internally threaded,

so that it can be screwed onto the threaded portion 3 of the case-center.

In another application for Letters Patent, Serial No. 106,455, filed with this application, I have shown and claimed the construction above described, and the same does not, therefore, of itself, constitute the present improvement which I claim herein.

In carrying out my invention, I make the lid or cover c in the form of a ring or false bezel, adapted, when closed, to fit at its inner edge closely against the outer edge of the bezel, as shown in Fig. 2, so as to form a practically dust-proof joint. In the movement which ac companies the case, the lever Z, which shifts the yoke of the winding and handsetting mechanism, is arranged so that it will project outside of the ring I), through a slot, 8, in the bezel proper, and will be covered by the false bezel e. The lever Z is therefore exposed when the false bezel e is opened, so that it can be moved as desired without opening or removing the bezel f. The objection heretofore existing to this class of open-face watch-casesviz., the admission of dust while the bezel is open to permit the operation of hand-setting mechanism-is thus avoided. \Vhen the false bezel is closed, it prevents the entrance of dust through the slot 8. The false bezel e is preferably hinged to the case-center and opened by the case-spring m, and locked by the case-spring m, like the cover of an ordinary hunting-case Watch, the bezel having a snap-edge fitted to a shoulder on the case-center, as usual. If preferred, however, the false bezel may be screwed to the case-center.

I am aware that doublercasedEnglish watches have been made with a slot in the bezel for the purpose of receiving a shifting stop-lever; but such I do not claim.

I claim 1. The combination, in an open-face watch, of a movement-holding ring or band provided with a glass-holding bezel having a slot or recess for the passage of the shifting -lever of the winding and hand-setting mechanism, a case-center adapted to receive and hold said ring and provided with a detachable back, and a movable marginal cover or false bezel, adapted, when closed, to fit closely against the bezel I to be locked and opened by said springs, said false bezel fitting, when closed, against the bezel proper and covering said shifting-lei 'er, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this (3th day of September, 1883. t

EZRA (f. FlTllt/l'l'. XVitnesses:

G. F. 3RONVN, A. L. XVIIITE. 

